4 Unconventional Ways to Improve Your Writing Skills

If you’re interested in blogging or improving your writing, I think you’ll like learning about some of my strategies to get your creative juices flowing. While this blog has recently launched after switching platforms, I have actually been blogging for several years.

As a creative person, I tend to be slightly unconventional. Invention of new ideas was always something that came naturally to me- it felt easy and second nature. Still, I am not a perfect writer. But I have drafted several books over the past few years, written a screenplay I am now editing, poetry, song lyrics, and plenty of blog posts. After studying English and Journalism in college and grad school in addition to working as an editor, it’s safe to say I can give quality advice on this topic.

Here are some unconventional strategies you can try to improve your writing:

1) Get out of town

Fun fact: Vogue Magazine predicted transformational travel as one of the biggest trends of 2017.

Even if it’s a day trip, leave your current environment to relieve stress, reflect, and find some inspiration. Travel has the ability to create new realizations of thought and maturity in your perspective.

There are also numerous writers’ retreats you may be interested in checking out for new ideas. If you’re bold, take a trip alone.

2) Talk about it

If you’re having trouble expressing something in writing, verbally express what you intend to say first.

Sometimes this gives you an instantaneous answer that you can easily write or type out. If you have the ability to talk out what you intend to say with a roommate, friend, or SO, you can also gain clarity and insight regarding if you are making sense.

In some cases, these conversations will shed light on if you should share something with the public or not. Another person’s perspective can help you realize if you are oversharing, if you will regret publishing something later, or if it will have a negative impact on your career. It is possible for one sentence to be enough to set a reader off with negative comments, even if they misunderstood the meaning of what you said. It’s important to be clear.

This should not discourage you, but it is important to entertain other people’s ideas- especially if you are writing for your reader.

If you have written something for “you” consider your motivations in making content public. Is it cathartic or an emotional release? Is it for someone else to find? Why do you want that person to find your content?

You may not have the opportunity to talk out every single thing you write, but if you’re ever uncertain in the process take the chance to find a “casual editor” for a second pair of eyes.

3) Regular mediation

Meditating regularly will give you the ability to relax more, think clearly, and improve your writing as a result. Your writing is a reflection of your thoughts. If you’re “clear,” your writing will be clear. If you’re “clogged,” your writing will be clogged. There are some artists who have been pretty darn lucky with the latter, but if you want to make sense to your readers, you need to organize your thoughts. Plus, the more often you meditate, the more insights you develop on how to express your ideas more clearly.

Pro tip: Sleep and lucid dreaming can also be used as a spiritual practice in order to provoke your imagination to wander. Try it out.

4) Switch up your schedule

Take the initiative to do some things differently. Mix up your life. Try biking to work if you can. Go for a run at an unconventional time. Take a different workout class every day. Go to a new coffee shop three times a week. Go to a concert occasionally during the work week.

If you haven’t noticed, creative people tend to have strange habits. The famous children’s author Roald Daul used to work until noon and then take a four hour lunch break, while working in a small hut as an office. This guy basically created a part-time job for himself that enabled him to sell millions of books. Creative people work the hours that work best for them, whether that’s 7am or 3am. They daydream. They observe the world developing insights that other people don’t take the time to see.

You may not be able to quit your day job or be able to take a page from method acting in order to improve your writing. Just give yourself a little jolt. If you feel like your life is boring, it’s going to be difficult for you get creative.

Overall, it usually works like this: Your writing improves by writing more, and writing in different formats and styles. Or, your writing improves through reading more often. Curious if people are still reading for pleasure nowadays…

Do you have any unconventional strategies to improve your writing? What makes you feel writer’s block the most? How do you get out of a writing rut? Let me know in the comments. xoxo